Drunken-driving enforcement campaign ends with 18 DUI arrests

The Lawrence Police Department stopped more than 400 vehicles, arrested 18 people for DUI and issued almost 300 seatbelt citations during a monthlong, statewide drunken-driving enforcement campaign, according to Sgt. Trent McKinley, LPD spokesman.

The effort, billed as the “You Drink. You Drive. You Lose.” campaign, ran from Aug. 15 to Sept. 2. During that time, dedicated patrols focused on finding impaired drivers, unsafe drivers and those not wearing seat belts.

As part of the effort, the LPD conducted a DUI checkpoint on Aug. 23, which resulted in 246 vehicle stops and 12 DUI arrests.

The associated overtime costs from the enforcement were paid through a grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation, which sponsored efforts across the state.

In Kansas, an average of nearly five people are injured every day, and one person is killed every three days, in alcohol-related crashes, according to KDOT.

Lawrence police reported these results from their campaign:

429 vehicle stops, not including the stops during the DUI checkpoint

18 DUI arrests, including the 12 made in the DUI checkpoint

13 speeding tickets

3 chid-restraint citations for occupants younger than 13

3 seat belt citations for occupants 14-to 17-years-old.

279 adult seatbelt citations

1 citation for texting while driving

76 other violations